Why Should He Bless Us?

So much has been on my heart lately about our country, families, and just the shape everything has gotten into in the past few years. Celebrating the 4th last week was bittersweet in so many ways since it's hard to be thankful for America being my home but at the same time see it turn into a place I almost don't recognize anymore. Not to mention thinking about my children growing up in a nation that is quickly choosing to turn away from the God that made us what we are today!

My mom reminded me of a song the other day that I had heard a few years ago but not thought about recently. The verses speak about the laws being made to take prayer out of schools and allowing abortion to be legal, but the chorus is even more fitting to society as a whole.....

Why should God bless America?
She's forgotten He exists.
And has turned her back on
everything that's made her what she is.
Why should God stand beside her,
through the night, with the light
from His hand?
God have mercy on America,
forgive our sins and heal our land!

As I sang those words to myself the past few days my heart broke even more to realize that there is swiftly becoming no reason why God should or even will bless us due to all the sin we've allowed to be so prevalent in our lives. And the saddest part is realizing that the main problem doesn't really lie with who our president is or those who have passed such awful, ungodly laws. The main problem is with us as Christians who have just set back and allowed it to happen, while we enjoy having our flesh entertained by worldly things, learn how to fit in so that our lives aren't so hard, condone rather than condemn sin, and mistakenly think we don't need to judge in order to not seem legalistic. In other words, we've chosen the easy way out rather than standing up for what's right......and now we, and especially our children, are paying for it.

So where does that leave us? Is that really the end of the story and now we just wait for God's judgement to fall on this wicked nation and even ourselves? Some may say yes, but I'm not totally sure that I agree. We watched the movie Monumental yesterday that was recently made by Kirk Cameron and it definitely gave me alot more to think about. (if you haven't seen it yet I highly recommend that you go out and buy it!) Even before then though while searching my heart after being so discouraged over the way things are, there was a well known scripture that kept coming to mind and it seemed to just resonate with me even more last night and this morning.

If MY people, which are called by MY name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek MY face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land. 2Chronicles 7:14

I'm sure this is a verse that we all know, but I wonder how often we truly think about what it actually says. And most importantly put it into practice!! I know for myself that I am sometimes the worst at seeing what needs to be done about something, but so often failing to be the one who steps up to do it. What I feel like the Lord keeps reminding me of is that this scripture is to me, you, all of those who are His. Not the ones out in the world that don't even know Him. It's my wicked ways, the one who claims to be His child, that needs to be turned from; I'm the one who needs to be seeking His face and praying for our land. Oh, that I would be willing to humble myself more and let go of more selfish, worldly pursuits to do just that. For the sake of my family, our nation, and their future.

Because I truly believe that if enough of God's people would be willing to admit what we've become, truly give up our sinfulness, and get back to just seeking Him, He will still keep His promises. Yes, there will eventually still be judgement on this world and yes, things will probably never totally be better with so many choosing to live in sin. But who knows what a difference we could make until then?! And isn't that all that should matter? I would love nothing more than for my children to see true revival, even on a small scale compared to those in the past, and know that it started with me praying and seeking God.

There's a quote by DL Moody that I think of often and have been feeling convicted of lately that we've failed to put into practice. Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure. Another one that I think is fitting as well says, No one is a firmer believer in the power of prayer than the devil. Not that he practices it, but that he suffers from it. I truly believe this is why he works so hard to hinder us from praying and seeking God, because he knows the truth that we so often seem to easily forget. Prayer does change things. There's a reason why the Bible says that the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. How amazing could the outcome be if we put into practice the verse in Chronicles about turning from our wicked ways and then follow that with a fervent seeking of God in prayer?!

My hope today is that I wouldn't just write this in a blog post and then go on my merry way. That I will be burdened, convicted, and challenged by these words enough to truly make some changes in my life. To fall on my face before the Lord, seek His help, and find out what He wants from us. Won't you please join me in this today? It could just possibly be the beginnings of something greater than we can even imagine. Because He never fails to do what He said He would when we do our part as well.